Calling members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus communists has cost Rep. Allen West (R-Florida) a speaking gig at the Freedom Fund Banquet held each year by his local NAACP chapter, reports the TCPalm. Just four days before the event, the NAACP canceled the event and asked West, who was supposed to deliver the keynote speech, not to attend the rescheduled fundraiser on Sept. 15.

“There’s a certain statement he made about communists,” said NAACP Martin County chapter president Jerry Gore. “That statement alone … we do not represent that type of atmosphere.”

At an April 10 event in his district, West said he’d “heard” there were about 78 to 81 Democrats who are members of the Communist Party.

“It’s called the Congressional Progressive Caucus,” he said.

The Florida lawmaker doubled down on the accusation last week when he told reporters that he was just calling “a spade a spade.”

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